At the Forge

Hammer hard
Fire bright.
Pounding metal
With all my might.

Orange gleaming ore
Glowing craft.
Shaped by hand
Quenched by draught.

Hell's own heat
Makes air singe.
Burning embers
On fiery fringe.

Muscles ache
To the bone.
Making old
Bellows moan.

Shaped with pride
Of hardened steel.
Hone the blade
to razor feel.

Author's Note

Special thanks to ALiteRead, Frank James Davis and Timothy Mooney for their input and assistance in editing :)

Reviews

[Laughing-Bear]

My Dear Writing Friend Judy,
This poem that was easy for me to see in my minds eye as I at times work in my own foundry. You’ve painted a vivid word picture. But I thought this poem is so much more. It is said we are refined in fire and the dross is removed. Silver is pure of dross when the one working it can see their reflection. It is a reflection brighter than any mirror can reflect back. To get the ore this way an enormous amount of heat has to be added along with lots of fluxing. The one in the foundry has to carefully watch over this process. Maybe that is how life is we go through trials and the dross is removed so we are more useful. We reflect the image of the Great Mystery. Just a thought. I loved your poem.

Blessings, Laughing-Bear

[KAREN]

Nice imagery and descriptions going on! Great flow from one line to the next!

[Cecelia]

A bit of genius here....short image filled lines build each stanza, flowing to the next to the ending that perfectly describes the shaping and writing in this poem...honed to perfection

Shaped with pride
Of hardened steel.
Hone the blade
to razor feel.

[Lily Mae]

I could feel the sharp edges..all on fire.. an excellent write ..xx

[Droll Prole]

Defeat enemies
Make them squeal!!
I love this one!

[Ben Taylor]

Very nice; it's hard to write lines that rhyme consistently when the lines are as short as you have them (only one over 3 words).
It takes a rather witty writing style to write like this--I like it :)
I wish Frank still popped his head in every once and awhile to notice poems like this one. I feel like he would appreciate it quite a bit. :)

[Poeticadia]

Glowing imagery, nicely wrought! The weapons of war forged in "hell's own heat"?

[Libby McKeown]

This has a delicate musical quality, and the words flow naturally and rhthymically without sounding too sing-songy. You're a natural. Thanks for sharing!

[Rene Velez]

Ahh...what a nice sword, I think I'll use it save some damsel in distress, I can feel the heat and smell the smoke...nice.

[Tate Morgan]

I love it i am addicted to rhyme and i love meter this sings a tale that rings so true for those who made our needs realities in the past